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DSLR Camera under 1k with good autofocus
Hi, usually I’m shooting my videos on my iPhone 6, but now I would like to shoot more serious shorts and, as a consequence, upgrade my equipment. I was getting informed about the different types of camera and it seems to me that for my budget a DSLR camera would be perfect. The only problem that I have with DSLRs is that they seem to not be particularly brilliant regarding the autofocus, and that could be a problem when shooting action scenes or scenes in which there is a lot of movement going on.
For this reason, I would like to receive some suggestions about the type of camera that could be right for me, I’m particularly interested in a camera that:-has a good autofocus with little or no focus hunting
-performs good in a low light condition (but this also depends on the lenses)I think that maybe I’ve found a camera that could satisfy my needs, the Panasonic gx7 (or gx8), but before buying it I would like to know if there are more suitable options.
P.S. I’ve already have a DSLR camera, Pentax km, but it does not shoot videos. For this reason I will use this DSLR principally to shoot videos so I do not care about the quality of the photographies it is able to shoot
P.P.S. I would also like to understand why DSLR cameras, although costing less, seem to record higher quality videos compared to 10k seemingly professional cameras
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4 Replies
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[Manuel Berari] “P.P.S. I would also like to understand why DSLR cameras, although costing less, seem to record higher quality videos compared to 10k seemingly professional cameras”
They do not.
DSLRs record far more heavily compressed video, require external audio recording for anything needing quality sound, and are prone to overheating as they chew through batteries.
Even a $2000 camera like the Sony X70 will record a higher quality signal than the equivalently priced DSLR. (50 megabit 4.2.2 color easily beats 28-35 megabit 4.2.0 for any cc’ing, greenscreen work, and more.) Frame and light well and I promise you you’d like the image quality.
By the time you’re up to a $10K price tag (think Sony FS-7 or thereabouts) no DSLR can come close unless the FS-7 is driven by someone who can’t make proper use of it.
(One cranky old guy’s opinion – and I’m old enough to remember dual-system sound with 16mm and have no real nostalgia for those days.)
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Thank you for the clarification, do you have any suggestions regarding the camera? Do you think I should buy a camcorder instead of a DSLR?
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First, yes, get a camcorder. Take the additional cash you would have had to shell out for an outboard audio recorder and other add-ons you’d need to make a DSLR usable for production and look at Sony, Canon, or Panasonic models with XLR audio inputs.
Most if not all the online sellers let you sort by price. Go low-to-high and see what works for you.
And look at a decent tripod as well. Maybe add a monopod if you’ll be moving quickly. Once you practice some with it you can be ready to go in seconds.
And remember, a camera isn’t everything. Lighting, audio, and storytelling make up a large part of a good film.
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Thank you for your answer, I already have the microphone (Rode Videomic Pro), a tripod, some lighting equipment, and a (cheap) steadicam because I used to make videos with my iPhone and photos with my Pentax, so I just need a camera (plus the lenses if I buy a dslr).
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